Why We’re Coming for Everything in 2025

Every December, I sit down to audit my year. I don’t just reflect on my wins and losses—I dissect them. What helped me move closer to my goals? Where did I get in my own way?

This year, my conclusion is simple: I’m done dimming my light. I’m coming for everything in 2025.

But let me tell you why.

It’s not just because I want to grow my business or hit new career milestones—it’s because every year I work with women who’ve been told to shrink. Women who’ve been overworked, undervalued, and overlooked for promotions. Women who have the skills but have been made to feel like leadership isn’t for them. Women who’ve watched less qualified peers get promoted while they’re stuck in the same role, doing twice the work for half the recognition.

And these women? They look like us, women and BIPOC navigating spaces that weren’t designed for us to win.

2025 is about changing that. It’s about naming the reasons we stay stuck and laying out a clear roadmap to step into leadership. Because when we win, we lift others with us.

2025 isn’t just about climbing the ladder—it’s about breaking cycles, building generational wealth, and taking up space unapologetically. It’s time to name the barriers holding us back and chart the path forward.

 This is a declaration: we are done playing small.

Let’s talk about why we hesitate to lead, the steps to overcome the trauma holding us back, and the roadmap to step into leadership unapologetically.

 Part 1: Why Black and Brown Women Don’t Seek Leadership Roles

The Leadership Gap

A 2023 report found that Black women hold only 1.4% of executive roles in Fortune 500 companies. For Latinas, that number is 1.6%.

Why?

We’ve been conditioned to believe we’re not ready. We’ve internalized the risks of stepping up in spaces that weren’t designed for us.

The data isn’t surprising. We’ve all heard the same stories:

• “I wasn’t ready.”
• “They’ll never pick me.”
• “I’ve seen what happens to women like me who try to lead.”

And let’s not ignore this fact: for Black and Brown women, leadership often feels like a risk.

Leadership trauma is real.

Many of us have witnessed—or experienced—what happens when women of color step into power. Leadership often comes with scars:

• We’re questioned more than our peers.
• We’re held to higher standards.
• We’re labeled as "difficult" or "intimidating."

If you’ve ever been in a toxic workplace, the scars can stay with you. You start believing that taking up space isn’t worth the fight. You stop advocating for yourself. You shrink.

And shrinking is exactly what keeps us stuck.

Why We Stay Too Long in Roles That Don’t Serve Us

Friend, let’s have an honest moment. How many of us are still sitting in roles where we:

•  Overdeliver but feel overlooked?
•  Are the “go-to” for solving problems but never get promoted?
•  Say yes to everything and then burn out quietly while pretending everything’s fine?

And then there’s the fear. “What if I leave and it’s worse?” or “What if I’m not ready for something bigger?”

Here’s the thing: Staying too long in a role that doesn’t value you isn’t safe, it’s stagnant.

If 2024 taught me anything, it’s this: companies will always protect their bottom line over their employees. Look at what happened with Party City. They closed stores five days before Christmas. People’s jobs, lives, and holidays? Tossed aside like tinsel.

So, why are we so loyal to places that wouldn’t blink if we disappeared tomorrow?

Journal Prompt:

What would your life look like if you left your current role for something better?

 My Yearly Career Audit: A Story of Clarity and Courage

I’ve been doing this audit for years, and it’s been my compass for knowing when to pivot, grow, or leap.

This year was no different. I sat down with my journal, looked at 2024, and asked myself the hard questions:

 • What drained my energy this year?

 • What set my soul on fire?

 • Where am I playing small?

One thing became clear: 2025 isn’t the year to play nice. It’s the year to bet on myself harder than ever.

I decided to update my LinkedIn, polish my resume, and start taking recruiter calls. Not because I’m desperate for a change, but because staying ready means never having to get ready.

One recruiter call led to another, and before I knew it, I was in interviews. The questions they asked, the salaries they offered, the way they spoke to me—it all reminded me of something I’d forgotten:

I’m that girl.

Part 2: A Client Story, Overcoming Leadership Trauma

The Backstory

One of my clients came to me earlier this year feeling stuck. She had been in the same role for five years. She was doing the work of a manager without the title or the pay.

When I asked her why she hadn’t pursued a promotion, her answer was simple: fear.

She had worked in a toxic environment earlier in her career, where her ideas were dismissed, her leadership style was questioned, and her attempts to advocate for her team were met with hostility. That experience left her feeling like leadership wasn’t worth the emotional toll.

And because of that, she stayed in her comfort zone—even though she knew she was capable of more.

The Roadmap to Leadership

Here’s how we worked together to break through her fear:

1. Unpacking the Trauma
   We started by acknowledging her leadership trauma.

   • I had her write down the specific incidents that made her doubt herself.
   • Then, we reframed those incidents. Instead of seeing them as proof she wasn’t good enough, we saw them as evidence of her strength. She had survived those experiences—and that meant she could thrive in healthier environments.

2. Building Confidence Through Wins

   • We listed her accomplishments, big and small.
   • I had her create a "brag sheet" to remind herself of her impact.

3. Crafting a New Leadership Vision
   Leadership doesn’t have to look the way toxic environments taught us.

   • We defined what kind of leader she wanted to be: empathetic, collaborative, and focused on impact.
   • I helped her see that she could lead on her own terms.

4. Positioning Her for Opportunities

   • We updated her LinkedIn to highlight her leadership experience.
   • We revamped her resume to focus on outcomes, not just tasks.
   • We practiced interviewing so she could own her story with confidence.

The Result

Six months later, she landed a management role at a new company—with a $30,000 raise.

Her story is proof: when you address the fear holding you back and position yourself for success, you open doors to opportunities that match your worth.

 Part 3: The 2025 Roadmap to Leadership & Career Acceleration 

If you’re ready to reclaim your power in 2025, here’s how to start: 

Step 1: Believe You Belong at the Table 

The biggest hurdle? Your mindset. The thought “I’m not ready” is not intuition, it’s fear. Leadership and career elevation is about learning, problem-solving, and adapting.

Start affirming this: “I belong in leadership, I am able to take the next step in my career, and I’m ready to make an impact.”

Step 2: Audit Your Career - Take stock of your wins, losses, and areas for growth. Ask yourself:

•  Am I in a role that values me?
•  What skills do I want to develop?
•  Where do I want to be by this time next year?

Step 3: Address Your Leadership Trauma - If past experiences are holding you back, confront them.

•  Journal about the fears you have around leadership.
•  Reframe those fears as opportunities to grow.

 Step 4: Explore Leadership Roles Beyond ‘Director’ Leadership isn’t one-size-fits-all. Consider these roles:

•  Team Lead: Oversee a small group while sharpening leadership skills.
•  Program Manager: Drive initiatives and cross-functional success.
•  Head of [Function]: Own a department without managing people-heavy teams.
•  Senior Manager or Director: Build teams, shape strategy, and execute vision.

Step 5:. Build Your Personal Brand

 • Optimize your LinkedIn profile with leadership-focused keywords.

 • Share content that positions you as a thought leader in your field.

Step 6:  Say Yes to Recruiter Calls Even if you’re not actively job-hunting, taking calls keeps you visible and sharp.

Step 7:  Build the Skills That Matter

Stop trying to check every box on the job description. Focus on what truly matters:

•  Strategic decision-making.
•  Leading cross-functional teams.
•  Communicating with clarity and influence.

 Practical tools:

•  LinkedIn Learning or Coursera for leadership courses.
• Books like Dare to Lead by Brené Brown or Lead from the Outside by Stacey Abrams.

Step 8: Stop Waiting for Permission If your company won’t promote you, another one will. Here’s how to create opportunities:

•  Request stretch assignments or high-visibility projects.
•  Explore certifications or advanced training.
•  Build your network intentionally (mentors, sponsors, and peers). 

Conclusion: Let’s Win Together in 2025

This isn’t just about your career—it’s about your legacy.

2025 is the year we stop playing small. The year we heal from the trauma holding us back. The year we step into the leadership roles we deserve.

 Are you ready?